49ers RB Matt Breida questionable for game vs. Packers

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers running back Matt Breida is questionable for Monday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers because of shoulder and ankle injuries.

Breida was limited in practice on Saturday and will be a game-time decision at Green Bay. He is sixth in the league in rushing with 369 yards.

The 49ers will be without rookie receiver Dante Pettis for a second straight week because of a knee injury. Receiver Trent Taylor didn’t practice all week because of a back injury and is listed as doubtful.

Ravens C Skura tops list of NFL's performance bonuses

Ravens C Skura tops list of NFL’s performance bonuses

Baltimore Ravens center Matt Skura earned the highest distribution from the NFL’s performance-based pay for the 2018 season, the league announced Thursday.

NFL players will receive $140.88 million from the performance-based pool, which is a benefit in the collective bargaining agreement that compensates players based upon playing time and salary levels.

The NFL Players Association also dedicated $48 million in benefits for a veteran performance-based compensation pool for players with one or more accrued seasons. A total of $188.88 million will be disbursed under the combined pools.

Skura, a second-year pro in 2018 after being an undrafted free agent, earned $533,558 in performance-based pay after playing in every offensive snap and 17 percent of Baltimore’s special teams plays. That bonus money nearly doubled his 2018 salary of $555,000.

Reports: Seahawks re-sign LB Wright, add OL Iupati

Reports: Seahawks re-sign LB Wright, add OL Iupati

Wright’s deal is for two years and $15.5 million, according to NFL Network. The move keeps the Seahawks’ linebacking corps intact for the 2019 season.

Iupati’s deal is for one year.

Wright, 29, has spent all eight years with Seattle after the team selected him in the fourth round of the 2011 draft. He missed 11 games last season with a knee injury. Wright had four consecutive seasons with 100-plus tackles before that, and he has career totals of 11.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles.

Iupati played the past four seasons in Arizona after spending the first five seasons of his career with the San Francisco 49ers. The 31-year-old tackle is a four-time Pro Bowler and made All-Pro in 2012. He has started all 114 games in his career.

Reports: Cowboys bring back WR Austin, sign DL Covington

The Cowboys

Reports: Cowboys bring back WR Austin, sign DL Covington

The Cowboys and Tavon Austin have agreed on a one-year deal to keep the speedy wide receiver in Dallas, according to reports.

Austin played in just seven games due to injury last season, catching eight passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns. He could be in line for more targets now that Cole Beasley left the Cowboys for Buffalo.

Austin also ran the ball six times for 55 yards.

Austin has 14 career touchdowns in six NFL seasons, the first five of which came with the Rams.

The Cowboys also signed free agent defensive lineman Christian Covington to a one-year deal to bolster a line that will be without Randy Gregory and David Irving next season. Covington posted 7.5 sacks in 50 games with the Houston Texans over the past four seasons.

Browns sign OL Kush

Offensive lineman

Browns sign OL Kush

Offensive lineman Eric Kush has signed with the Cleveland Browns, the team announced Thursday.

Kush, 29, played in a career-high 15 games for the Chicago Bears last season, starting seven games, including the first three of the season at left guard. He figures to at least add a depth component to any of Cleveland’s three interior line positions.

Kush played 344 snaps in Chicago last season.

Kush has played in 33 games (12 starts) in five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs (2013-14), St. Louis Rams (2015) and Bears (2016, 2018). He missed the 2017 season due to a torn hamstring suffered during training camp.

Lions welcome DE Flowers with $90M deal

Lions welcome DE Flowers with $90M deal

Trey Flowers put pen to paper on a $90 million contract Thursday, officially becoming the fifth-highest-paid defensive player in the NFL.

The former Patriots defensive end, who aligned at six different positions for at least 15 snaps last season in New England, was a coveted chess piece for Matt Patricia’s defense in Detroit. Patricia coached Flowers as defensive coordinator with the Patriots before he became head coach of the Lions last season.

Flowers racked up 21 sacks and 59 QB hits over the past three seasons. He received a $28 million signing bonus.

At an average of $18 million per season, Flowers’ annual salary exceeds the current number for franchise tagged defensive ends.

Jets release RB Crowell with Bell in tow

Jets release RB Crowell with Bell in tow

One day after signing Le’Veon Bell to a $52.5 million deal, the New York Jets released incumbent starting running back Isaiah Crowell.

Crowell signed with the Jets in free agency last March after four seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Crowell’s release initiates a $2 million cap hit for 2019.

He had a team-high 143 carries for 685 yards and six touchdowns for the Jets in 2018.

While Bell didn’t play last season, the plan is to keep him on the field as a three-down back in head coach Adam Gase’s system. Bell had 7,996 yards from scrimmage and 42 touchdowns in 62 games with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Report: Saints restructure Brees’ contract, create $11M in cap space

Report: Saints restructure Brees’ contract, create $11M in cap space

The New Orleans Saints restructured quarterback Drew Brees’ contract in order to clear up $10.8 million in cap space for this season, NFL Network reported Thursday.

Brees will make $22.7 million in 2019, and the $10.8 million will get deferred to count against the team’s cap in 2020 to the tune of $21.3 million overall, whether the future Hall of Famer is on the team or not.

But it’s a win-now move for the Saints, who are reportedly trying to resign backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and make a play for free agent tight end Jared Cook.

Reports: Cardinals to sign OL Garcia

Reports: Cardinals to sign OL Garcia

Garcia was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2015 draft and played in 56 games for the team, starting 41. Garcia is primarily a left guard but has played some on the right side. Garcia is coming off an ACL tear suffered in mid-November.

The Cardinals, beset with injuries and poor play in the trenches last year, have already traded for Pittsburgh OT Marcus Gilbert and come to terms with former Seattle guard J.R. Sweezy.

Redskins release LB Brown, DT McGee

Redskins release LB Brown, DT McGee

Linebacker Zach Brown and defensive tackle Stacy McGee were released by the Washington Redskins on Wednesday.

Brown was on the trading block, according to NFL Network, but the Redskins did not find a partner.

The Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets are reportedly in the market for inside linebacker help. However, the Jets agreed to a deal with Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker C.J. Mosley on Monday.

The 29-year-old Brown has played for the Titans, Bills and Redskins, posting five seasons with 90-plus tackles.

Releasing Brown saves the Redskins $5.75 million against the 2019 salary cap, and the franchise recovers $2.27 million by cutting McGee.

McGee turned 29 in January and the 330-pound nose tackle was caught up in a numbers game on the Washington defensive line. He has played in 75 career games but only eight last season.

He played in all 16 games and logged 432 snaps in 2017 but required offseason groin surgery and started 2018 on the physically unable to perform list.

WR Perriman joins Bucs instead of Browns

Free agent wide

WR Perriman joins Bucs instead of Browns

Free agent wide receiver Breshad Perriman was set to sign a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns, but backed out after they agreed to a trade for Odell Beckham Jr., according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Instead, Perriman signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wednesday, the team announced. Per multiple reports, the deal is worth $4 million, the same amount he was set to make in Cleveland..

A first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2015, Perriman has struggled to make an impact in the NFL. He made just four starts in 27 appearances over three seasons in Baltimore, then signed with the Washington Redskins as a free agent in 2018 only to be released days later.

He latched on with the injury-depleted Browns last season and had 16 catches for 340 yards and two touchdowns.

According to reports, the addition of Beckham concerned Perriman, who is hoping to have a breakout season that will let him earn a larger contract next offseason.

The Buccaneers lost receivers DeSean Jackson and Adam Humphries this offseason.

Jaguars officially sign Foles, release Bortles

Jaguars officially sign Foles, release Bortles

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced Wednesday they have acquired free agent quarterback Nick Foles and released Blake Bortles.

A news conference is scheduled for Thursday at 1 p.m. ET, at which time the club will introduce Foles. A video posted to the team’s Twitter feed showed a jersey being made with the No. 7 and Foles’ name on the back.

While the team did not disclose any contract terms, reports earlier this week put the deal at four years and $88 million, with $50 million guaranteed and incentives that can push the total money beyond the $100 million mark.

“We’re really, really thrilled that Nick wanted to be a Jaguar,” offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, who worked with Foles in Philadelphia, told the team’s website.

Bortles’ release came less than two hours after the announcement of Foles’ signing.

Over the last few weeks, all signs pointed to the Jaguars signing Foles, who was allowed to enter free agency by the Philadelphia Eagles after guiding the team to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, including a run to the Super Bowl XII championship to cap the 2017 season. Foles, named MVP of that game, then took over for Carson Wentz down the stretch again in 2018 when a back injury ended Wentz’s season, and he pushed Philadelphia into a divisional playoff matchup at New Orleans.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman announced at the NFL Scouting Combine that Foles “deserves to lead a team.”

“We had conversations at the end of the season, and he knew where I stood and how I felt about him,” Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said. “Obviously, he’s a big part of our success the past two years. It’s an opportunity now for him to become a starter, and I’m excited for him to do that.”

Wentz was out during the Super Bowl run recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. Last season, he missed the final month of the regular season, plus two playoff games, with a fracture in his back. Wentz is expected to make a full recovery and return as the starter in 2019.

The Jaguars gave Bortles, a first-round pick in 2014 who hasn’t developed into a consistent starter, a three-year, $54 contract last year, but he went 3-9 and was benched for Cody Kessler.

Bortles’ release will save Jacksonville just $4.5 million against the cap, while leaving $16.5 million in dead money, unless Bortles is designated as a June 1 release. That would create an additional $5 million savings in 2019 by diverting $5 million in dead money to 2020.

Chargers sign QB Taylor to two-year deal

Chargers sign QB Taylor to two-year deal

Former Browns and Bills starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor has agreed to a two-year deal to become a backup for the Chargers, the team announced Wednesday.

Taylor would serve as the No. 2 quarterback in Los Angeles behind Philip Rivers. Rivers is 37 but hasn’t missed a game since he became the primary starter for the franchise in 2006.

Taylor, acquired via trade by Cleveland from Buffalo last March, was unseated by Baker Mayfield as the starter on Sept. 20 when he left the team’s Thursday night primetime game against the New York Jets with a head injury.

With the Browns, Taylor completed 42 of his 85 attempts (49.4 percent) for 473 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions in three starts (four games).

In seven previous seasons in the NFL with the Bills and Baltimore Ravens, Taylor completed 793 of his 1,271 attempts (62.4 percent) for 9,056 yards and 51 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. He has familiarity with Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn, as both were in Buffalo from 2015-16.

Raiders, Steelers make Brown trade official

Raiders, Steelers make Brown trade official

The Oakland Raiders officially announced their acquisition of wide receiver Antonio Brown from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, shortly after the new league year opened at 4 p.m. ET.

“In my opinion, we acquired the best wide receiver in football,” head coach Jon Gruden said at Brown’s welcome press conference. “Now, let’s get to work.”

“I am so excited to sit down next to Antonio Brown,” first-year general manager Mike Mayock added. “…He’s as good a practice football player and works as hard as any football player I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Brown, who was a few minutes late, showed up looking much different than the public has seen him much of the offseason, with his hair cut short and his blonde mustache gone. He voiced lofty goals for his future, saying he hopes to catch Jerry Rice in terms of longevity.

“It’s an honor to be here,” Brown said. “…I’m here to prove what I am and what I stand for, not just my words but my actions.”

Brown, 30, was acquired for third-round (66th overall) and fifth-round (141st overall) draft picks, and he received a new three-year, $50.125 million contract with $30.125 million guaranteed as part of the agreement. The Steelers were believed to be close to a deal with the Buffalo Bills late Thursday, but Buffalo backed out after learning that Brown desired a contract adjustment. The deal with the Raiders was reportedly reached in the early hours of Sunday.

“We weren’t even in on the process until Friday,” Mayock said of how the Raiders jumped into trade discussions late. “…When that deal fell through with Buffalo, we got involved.”

Asked if he has any regrets about his acrimonious departure from Pittsburgh — where he spent the first nine years of his career, earning seven Pro Bowl appearances and four first-team All-Pro nods — Brown said he appreciated his time with the Steelers.

“Pittsburgh will always be my family,” he said. “Those guys gave me a chance when I was a 21-year-old kid. Obviously people listen to the things that are being said and written, but at the end of the day, it’s all about how you make people feel.

“I think I make people feel really great and really inspired, the way they watched me go to work, the way they watched me play. I know Steeler nation is having a bad day today, but it’s always love.”

As for the Steelers themselves, general manager Kevin Colbert acknowledged that while Brown remains great, his departure was what the team needed.

“We believe the compensation, which will now give us four picks in the first 83 selections and 10 overall in the upcoming NFL draft, can benefit our efforts to improve our team in 2019 and beyond,” Colbert said in a statement. “Antonio remains one of the best players in the National Football League, but as we believe, this move was in the best interest of the Pittsburgh Steelers. We wish Antonio all the best the rest of his career.”

Reports: QB Bridgewater visits Miami, puts Saints on hold

Reports: QB Bridgewater visits Miami, puts Saints on hold

The Dolphins are making a last-ditch attempt to lure quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to Miami before he signs a contract to return to the New Orleans Saints, according to multiple reports Wednesday.

Ben Volin of the Boston Globe said Bridgewater was visiting the Dolphins practice facility Wednesday afternoon. ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported on air that Bridgewater is expected to join the Dolphins if the team will add a few million dollars to their offer.

On Tuesday, an NFL Network report said Bridgewater turned down more money from the Dolphins to return to New Orleans and serve as the heir apparent to 40-year-old Drew Brees.

Bridgewater, 26, signed a free agent contract with the New York Jets last spring. New Orleans traded a third-round pick to the Jets in August for Bridgewater, who proved during preseason he was healthy after a 2016 knee injury with the Minnesota Vikings. The Saints also received a sixth-round pick in the deal.

The Dolphins are in quarterback limbo with Ryan Tannehill’s future unclear under the new coach-GM combination of Brian Flores and Chris Grier. Multiple outlets have reported Tannehill will be traded or released at some point.

Jaguars announce acquisition of QB Foles

Jaguars announce acquisition of QB Foles

A news conference is scheduled for Thursday at 1 p.m. ET, at which time the club will introduce Foles. A video posted to the team’s Twitter feed showed a jersey being made with the No. 7 and Foles’ name on the back.

While the team did not disclose any contract terms, reports earlier this week put the deal at four years and $88 million, with $50 million guaranteed and incentives that can push the total money beyond the $100 million mark. The Jaguars are expected to release Bortles.

Over the last few weeks, all signs pointed to the Jaguars signing Foles, who was allowed to enter free agency by the Philadelphia Eagles after guiding the team to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, including a run to the Super Bowl XII championship to cap the 2017 season. Foles, named MVP of that game, then took over for Carson Wentz down the stretch again in 2018 when a back injury ended Wentz’s season, and he pushed Philadelphia into a divisional playoff matchup at New Orleans.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman announced at the NFL Scouting Combine that Foles “deserves to lead a team.”

“We had conversations at the end of the season, and he knew where I stood and how I felt about him,” Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said. “Obviously, he’s a big part of our success the past two years. It’s an opportunity now for him to become a starter, and I’m excited for him to do that.”

Wentz was out during the Super Bowl run recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. Last season, he missed the final month of the regular season, plus two playoff games, with a fracture in his back. Wentz is expected to make a full recovery and return as the starter in 2019.

The Jaguars gave Bortles, a first-round pick in 2014 who hasn’t developed into a consistent starter, a three-year, $54 contract last year, but he went 3-9 and was benched for Cody Kessler.

His release will save Jacksonville just $4.5 million against the cap, while leaving $16.5 million in dead money, unless Bortles is designated as a June 1 release. That would create an additional $5 million savings in 2019 by diverting $5 million in dead money to 2020.

Broncos announce trade for Flacco; Ravens get pick 113

Broncos announce trade for Flacco; Ravens get pick 113

The Denver Broncos on Wednesday officially announced they have acquired quarterback Joe Flacco from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Flacco, 34, was the MVP of Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 and was the Ravens’ starter since 2008 until a hip injury in 2018 sent Flacco to the sidelines after Week 9. Rookie first-round pick Lamar Jackson took over for Flacco and didn’t relinquish the starting role.

The pick the Broncos are sending to the Ravens is the 113th overall, the first of Denver’s two picks in that round.

“He can make all the throws. If we protect him and do a good job of that, he’ll make the right decisions,” Broncos general manager/president of football operations John Elway told The Denver Post.

“Joe is the best quarterback in Ravens history. Not only is he talented, but he was clutch for us in the most difficult games against excellent defenses in the loudest and most raucous stadiums. Honestly, he’s one of my favorite draft picks ever.”

Flacco expressed his feelings in a comment on Twitter shortly after the trade became official:

“To the Ravens, the fans, and the city of Baltimore: Thank you for an incredible 11 years. I’ll always be proud and grateful for my time spent as your quarterback. Though it’s time to move on, this team will always mean so much to me. #ravensflock”

Case Keenum, the Broncos’ starter last season, was traded to the Washington Redskins along with a 2020 seventh-round draft pick for a 2020 sixth-round selection to make room for Flacco.

Keenum passed for 3,890 yards and 18 touchdowns against 15 interceptions last season while starting all 16 regular-season games for the first time, but Denver went just 6-10.

“Last year didn’t go the way we wanted it to but I think it made me a better football player, it made me a better person, made me tougher,” Keenum told the Redskins’ website. “And it taught me what it really means to have a team really count on your quarterback to make plays down the stretch when you really need to. It’s something I’m excited to grow from, something I’m excited to learn from and implement this next year with the Redskins.”

Hip and back injuries were concerns for Flacco in recent seasons.

Flacco has spent all 11 of his NFL seasons with the Ravens, starting all 163 of his games played. He has completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 38,245 yards and 212 touchdowns. He was the 18th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

In March 2016, he signed a three-year, $66.4 million contract extension that runs through the 2021 season. That will need to be re-worked, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Ravens must carry Flacco’s $26.5 million cap hit until June 1, per the NFL Network.

NFL transactions notebook: NT Mebane agrees to deal with Chargers

NFL transactions notebook: NT Mebane agrees to deal with Chargers

Nose tackle Brandon Mebane remained with the Los Angeles Chargers after agreeing to a two-year deal on Wednesday, according to the team.

Mebane had 40 tackles and one sack in 12 games last season, his third with the franchise. He has 17.5 career sacks in 12 NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks (2007-15) and Chargers.

–OT Daryl Williams re-signed with the Carolina Panthers for one year in a deal worth $7 million, according to the NFL Network. Williams played in just one game last season after dislocating his right kneecap during training camp.

Williams has played in 40 games (29 starts) in four seasons with the Panthers.

–The Miami Dolphins announced the release of four-time Pro Bowl guard Josh Sitton, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury last season and played in just one game with the team.

The Dolphins reportedly will save $5 million by releasing Sitton, who signed a two-year contract prior to last season. He has played in 148 career games with the Green Bay Packers (2008-15), Chicago Bears (2016-17) and Dolphins.

–OL Ted Larsen signed a one-year contract to rejoin the Bears after playing the last two seasons with the Miami Dolphins. Larsen started eight games at right guard for Chicago in 2016.

Larsen has played 125 games (86 starts) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2010-13), Arizona Cardinals (2014-15), Bears and Dolphins.

–LB Adarius Taylor signed a two-year, $5 million deal with $2.55 million guaranteed with the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland.com reported.

Taylor started 10 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018 and has played in 60 contests (16 starts) in five NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers (2014) and Bucs (2015-18). He has one career interception and three forced fumbles.

–DT Mitch Unrein was waived by the Buccaneers with a failed-physical designation. Unrien suffered a concussion during training camp last season and spent his lone season with Tampa Bay on injured reserve.

Unrien has played in 95 games (24 starts) with the Denver Broncos (2011-14), San Diego Chargers (2015) and Chicago Bears (2015-17). He has 4.5 career sacks and one fumble recovery.

–CB Jason Verrett is visiting with the San Francisco 49ers, according to the NFL Network.

The former first-round pick of the Chargers has played in just five games over the past three seasons due to injuries. Verrett has five interceptions in 25 career games (23 starts).

Chiefs release S Berry, reportedly visiting with Darby

The

Chiefs release S Berry, reportedly visiting with Darby

The Kansas City Chiefs announced the release of longtime safety Eric Berry on Wednesday, shortly after the new league year opened at 4 p.m. ET.

According to Pro Football Talk, the release comes with a post-June 1 designation, which means the Chiefs will save $9.55 million of Berry’s $16.5 million cap figure in 2019, pushing an additional $8 million of dead money into 2020. Without that designation, Kansas City would have absorbed all of the $14.95 million in dead money in 2019.

Berry, 30, signed a record-setting six-year, $78 million extension for a safety in February of 2017, but he has played in just two regular-season games since then. He tore his Achilles in the 2017 season opener and then missed all but two games last season while battling lingering heel pain.

Drafted fifth overall in 2010, Berry has spent nine seasons with the Chiefs, earning five Pro Bowl nods and three first-team All-Pro selections. His 2014 season was ended prematurely after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but he beat the disease and returned in 2015 to author back-to-back All-Pro seasons.

“On behalf of my family and the entire Chiefs organization, I want to thank Eric for his many contributions to the Chiefs over the last nine seasons,” team chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “Eric has been a tremendous leader for our football team and an inspiration to so many fans over the years, and we sincerely appreciate all that he has meant to the Chiefs. He will always be an important part of our Chiefs family, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future.”

Kansas City has reportedly agreed to sign former Houston Texans safety Tyrann Mathieu to a three-year, $42 million deal in free agency, a deal which could be announced later Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the team is also bringing in cornerback Ronald Darby for a visit, according to multiple reports.

Darby, 25, is considered perhaps the top corner on the free agent market, although he is coming off of a torn ACL. He played in nine games for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, intercepting one pass and breaking up 12.

Acquired by Philadelphia from the Buffalo Bills for a third-round pick and wideout Jordan Matthews before the 2017 season, Darby also missed eight games to injury that year because of a dislocated ankle.

Former Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson, who started all 16 games in 2018, is reportedly leaving to join the Pittsburgh Steelers. Orlando Scandrick, who started seven games at corner for Kansas City, is also a free agent.